THE CURRENT WAR Electrifies on Bluray

Coming
to Bluray from 101 Studios, Universal Pictures Home Entertainment and director
Alfonso Gomez-Rejon is the story of what lights up our world from THE CURRENT
WAR.

Thomas
Edison (Benedict Cumberbatch) is an inventor who is on a mission to make his
electric DC (Direct Current) lightbulb even better. At the time of inventing he
realizes that his process reaches fewer home and was touted to be expensive.

Along
comes George Westinghouse (Michael Shannon) who is also an inventor and is
interested in what Edison is doing and sees a larger potential. Wishing to
discuss the process even more, Westinghouse invites the Edison’s to dinner
since the train was coming through their city. It was a meeting that was never
to be. Westinghouse decides to work on his own technology by using AC
(Alternating Current) as a mode for transporting electricity to a wider area.

In
the middle of these two men is the quiet Nicola Tesla (Nicholas Hoult) who
arrives in America to work for Edison. Having ideas of his own, he follows
Edison only to discover that his employer only wanted to hear about his own
work and no one else’s.

The
war begins as Edison sees no other way but to publicly try to bring down
Westinghouse by suing him for patent infringement. Taking swings at one
another, the game goes back and forth so discover who has the stronger bat. In
between, both men are under the umbrella of tragedy and potential financial
ruin.

Edison
makes decisions about his own inventions when he is approaches by prison
officials but when he needs funding, his assistant Samuel Insull (Tom Holland)
suggests that he work on the Phonograph. Again, in between the war is Tesla who
leaves Edison and is talked to by Westinghouse but sees the same issue as with
Edison.

It all comes to a head when Edison and Westinghouse both vie for providing electricity to the World’s Columbian Exposition in 1883 Chicago. At a final meeting between Edison and Westinghouse, one would expect a gloating session but they both know that each would be known as inventors.

Cumberbatch
as Edison is a man that is obsessed with his invention. Supported by his wife
in all ways, it is a miracle that she could keep up with his inability to see
outside himself. His obsession leads to bad decisions that people keep trying
to point out to him. Cumberbatch gives Edison the right twitches, especially
when Edison goes against his own nature. Once again Cumberbatch turns in a
solid performance.

Shannon
as Westinghouse is equally as obsessed with inventions, but the difference is
that he does wear his heart a little on his sleeve. When slighted or when lies
are told, Westinghouse gives his anger a minute to find it’s place before
jumping in and making sure the world knows what’s what! Shannon has these
unique expressions that I already know this isn’t a character to mess with.

Hoult
as Tesla is a man caught in the middle of the Edison and Westinghouse war.
Neither will listen or they want something from him, but he holds true to
himself. He doesn’t want to be part of the mess; he only wants to share his
knowledge with the world but his light is kept dim by the two bigger names.

Holland
as Insull also sees the potential of Edison’s work and tries to steer him clear
of things that keep his invention from jumping the tracks. It isn’t an easy
job, especially when your boss has a strong mind of his own. Shout out to
Macfadyen as J.P. Morgan who sits and watches the mess waiting to pick up the
pieces.

Universal
Pictures Home Entertainment has just added an amazing film to their library and
making it available for us to all experience and re-experience in our own home
theaters. There are films of every genre available from scary to drama to
family films. For more of what they have to offer please visit www.uphe.com.

MOVIES
ANYWHERE gives viewers the ability to download the Movies Anywhere App. With
that you can view films by downloading or streaming to your favorite device
using a Digital Code. For more information on Movies Anywhere please visit www.MoviesAnywhere.com.

THE
CURRENT WAR is a period piece that captured my attention simple because it is a
period piece. Having Cumberbatch and Shannon go at it is just icing on top of
the cake for me. It is an fascinating look at how we came to throw a switch in
our home today with ease and the battle it took to get us here.

I
absolutely enjoyed the film from start to finish because it is never clear who
was going to win the fight or if there was even a fight. It was more like two
highly intelligent men could have made their lives a lot easier if they were so
stubborn AND listened to Tesla. I wonder how different our world would have
been.